Earlier this year I said in a blog, “I believe the American Dream has to do with finding personal happiness and being able to realize that having a dream gives oneself a purpose in life.” Throughout this chapter it became evident that in past years the American Dream was associated with wealth and power. With this, I disagree with Lincoln when Cullen mentions, “Lincoln was not opposed to slavery because he cared very much about slaves. He was opposed to slavery because he cared very, very deeply about whites (and unlike some of his fellow Republicans, he cared about all whites). Slavery was bad for them. And it was bad because it contaminated and, if left unchecked, would eventually destroy the American Dream which he believed so deeply.” I disagree with this because it does not take into consideration all Americans. It frustrates me when Lincoln noted that the main difference between slaves and whites was skin color, but yet they were not capable of upward mobility, and thus, the American Dream (yes I am a where of the time period).
However I also agree with Lincoln when he said slavery would destroy the American Dream because slaves cannot bring people the American Dream. With how I view the American Dream, whites needed to abandon slavery so they could find their American Dream on their own.
Sarah,
ReplyDeleteThis is an instructive example of someone doing what is regarded as right for less than the right reason. Of such compromises politics is made. But it also reminds us that issues like this one have layers upon layers of considerations. What I like about Cullen's treatment of Lincoln is that it allows us to see Lincoln's shifting views.
LDL